1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metallized decorative film and a process for making it by applying the metallic film by transfer lamination. The decorative film can be used to apply decoration to a desired substrate, e.g., a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Metallized decorative films which are suitable for exterior use and which contain a substantially transparent, plasticized film have been formed in the past by laminating the transparent film to a vacuum metallized film, e.g., a vacuum metallized polyester film, which is then overlaminated with a clear polyvinyl fluoride film which aids in protecting the polyester film from ultraviolet degradation. Such complex laminates are rather stiff and difficult to form into complex shapes and are subject to moisture degradation at the exposed edge of the lamination between the polyvinyl fluoride film and the polyester film.
Direct vacuum metallization of a flexible plastic film is difficult to accomplish since various ingredients in the film tend to "gas off" during the metallization process interfering with both the maintenance of the vacuum and the uniformity of the metal deposit. One solution to this problem has been the suggestion that a barrier layer of a long chain thermoplastic polyvinyl resin containing a large number of highly polar groups be placed over the plasticized resin and that this layer be metallized and then coated with a transparent film, U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,806 to E. M. Fisher et al. Another solution which has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,198 to L. E. Amborski et al. is to treat the metallized layer with a complex compound of the Werner type.